Learning to listen is a skill which I have come to put into practice when I'm recording my own blues and R&B. And listening to learn plays an equally important part too. Now just what do I mean by this and how did I accomplish this.
When I listen to a song I listen for enjoyment or I listen to really hear what the different instruments are doing. In this case I'm listening to the two guitar parts that are being played together or one over the other if you like. I pay attention to how they fit together and compliment each other. When I'm doing "this", I am listening to learn.
So now when I start my recording I put down one guitar track and I play that back and begin to get an idea in my head of what will sound good over that. Of course I have my guitar in hand to start the process. As I start to listen, I kind of use my " music intellect" which is what I will call it, to listen if what I'm creating is going to work. If the two guitar parts together don't conflict with each other, if they sound good, then I can move forward to the next verse or bridge or turn around, etc.
As an example here I would like to use the Rolling Stones, though there have been and are, other bands that have this talent for constructing great interweaving and complimenting guitar phrasings. But I've always found that the Stones, ( Keith and Ron Wood ), are so gifted in working with each other when creating they're various guitar parts in a song. Its a type of magic.
But of course, listening to learn, and learning to listen, aren't just limited to two guitars. When I'm working on my own, and adding the bass lines or keyboard fills, this same practice needs to be implemented. As I record and listen, is what I'm doing going to hit the mark? Is it starting to sound good, are the "parts" fitting together nicely and building upon each other? If so, to my satisfaction, then I've accomplished what I've set out to do. And that is to create a great blues or R&B tune.
As I continue to grow in my guitar playing, I continue to do a lot of listening to others whom I greatly admire and respect and who have been proven to be successful in their careers. And of course that's according to the general public who are the listeners and consumers of their music. So the "proof" is in the pudding as they say.
I cannot forget about Jeff Beck who in my opinion is so gifted. And of course the musicians he works with are equally as talented. How he constructs his material is beyond my comprehension. He is just so awesome! But I am quite sure he does a lot of listening to learn, and learning to listen.
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